Battle of the Minds, Kingdom
by SmurfsTasteGoodOnToast
Summary: The Spasky Kingdom has been at war with the Starling Empire for as far as anyone can remember, but Irina is going to end it, no matter what.
1. Chapter 1

The 35 year old queen was on her balcony looking over her kingdom. What had it become? If the war with the Starling Empire wasn't settled quickly it would be the end of both, but no peace treaty had worked to date. Irina didn't even remember a time when there wasn't war. This hatred had gone on for generations, but she had decided it would end with her. She had decided this when her beloved son Prince Nicoli had been killed in battle, now all she had left was her daughter, Avery.

Someday Avery would take over as queen and Irina didn't want her daughter to have to suffer as much as she had. Her people were dieing from the war, not just in battle, but in other ways that the war had started. New illnesses, less food because she had to feed the army, and the water supply was just one trick from the enemy away from being completely gone. No, Avery would not inherit this.

"So what am I to do?" she muttered. Irina always tried to act strong, but sometimes she just didn't know.

"You know what we have to do," said a voice behind her. Irina turned to see her daughter in her night gown standing in the doorway. She had inherited most of Irina's looks, besides her eyes and hair colour. Her eyes changed colour like her dad's and her hair was a lighter blond.

"Never," Irina answered.

"Really I don't mind. It's what would be best for the people," she argued.

"You're a person too," Irina countered.

Avery walked up beside her mother looking up at the stars. "Sometimes I don't know. With all my princess duties, learning how to become queen, seeing you so sad, I don't know if a normal person could handle it," the 15 year old smiled.

"You're not normal, you're my daughter. That's why I'm not letting you make a foolish mistake."

"So now saving thousands of people is foolish?" Avery arched her eyebrows.

"It might not even work and then we'd be trapped. I won't let anything happen to you, not like Nicoli," Irina said, her voice cracking a bit as she said Nicoli. "He was so much like your father you know, brave, strong, a bit foolish at times, but I still love them both."

"But I'm not Nicoli! Or Dad! I'm you! I look like you and that's who I am on the inside!" Avery was getting tired of holding back what she wanted to say.

"No your not," Irina smiled, not taking her eyes off the stars. "You're brave like your father, stubborn like him too, but the answer is still no. Now get to bed it's late."

"But mom-"

"I said get to bed."

As Avery slumped inside Irina thought more,_ I am not going to let Avery inherit a world like this no matter what._

**A/N: I hope you like it! This story is going to be writen be writen by me and Lieutenant Evergreen, so for chap 2 look for her story Battle of the Minds, Empire. Also she will be posting 4,6,8 and so on while I'll be posteing 3,5,7 etc.**


	2. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Avery didn't like to be woken early and Irina knew it. She would normally let her daughter sleep in, but at this moment it's more important for her to learn to be queen.

Irina had been in the study after a sleepless night reading when she got the message that an old woman had requested an audience with her. One of the things that made Irina a good queen was that she would always make time to listen to her people, and she had nothing better to do at the moment.

Avery had been called to watch to learn how a queen interacts with her people, something Irina had been meaning to teach her for a long time now. Irina nodded, signaling to bring the women in. Any other person might have gaged when they saw the women. She was ugly as a hag, warts and wrinkles covered her face, and her nose was 3 sizes to big to match the rest of her features. Irina kept a blank face, she was never one to show emotion, except on rare occasions with her family. "Welcome."

"Hello Majesty," the women said bowing.

"To what do I owe this honor?" Irina asked politely.

"I have come to bring a warning to you," the hags voice matched her face.

"A warning? Of what? Are the Starlings on the attack?"

"No, but if this war doesn't end you, personally, will pay dearly," Irina could feel her skin start to crawl.

"I already have. If you have not heard, I have already lost my son and husband to it."

"End the war or you shall pay more, along with your kingdom!" there was a flash of smoke and the hag was gone.

Irina didn't move, hardly breathed. She thought about what the threat could mean, Avery. There would be no one left to run the kingdom and it would kill Irina personally. She looked over at Avery, she had fallen back to sleep and most likely hadn't even seen the hag enter the room.

"Don't worry Majesty," the head of her security assured her. "Nothing will happen to you or the princess."

"Dahg, get my poison fingernails. I don't want that which to get any chances."


End file.
